The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

[Vocalek]

UTSA scholars to study health effects of electronic cigarettes

The Good:

[h=1]UTSA scholars to study health effects of electronic cigarettes[/h]
Scholars William Cooke and Donovan Fogt have received $30,000 in seed funding from UTSA to find out. The UTSA kinesiologists will team up with Assistant Professor Caroline Rickards at the University of North Texas Health Science Center to gather baseline data about the effects of e-cigarettes on the body's basic physiological health.

For six years, e-cigarettes have been aggressively marketed as an alternative for smokers who want to decrease their risk of the serious health problems associated with conventional cigarette smoking. Instead of inhaling a cigarette's nicotine and carbon monoxide, e-cigarette users inhale vaporized pure nicotine. But, very little research has been done about the effects of inhaling vaporized nicotine.

Over the next year, the researchers will study the effects that inhaling vaporized nicotine has on a person's heart rate, blood pressure, resting metabolic rate, physical work capacity and brain blood flow.
UTSA students pursing kinesiology and health-related careers will conduct research alongside the scholars, giving them the opportunity to learn quantitative research methods in preparation for their careers in academia and health-related professions.

The Bad:

The scholars will work under the hypothesis that vaporized nicotine stimulates the human nervous system in ways that could seriously impact daily living. They believe that the inhalation of vaporized nicotine has the potential to increase a person's resting metabolism, making exercise problematic. They also believe it prevents the cardiovascular system from properly regulating arterial pressure and decreases the brain's ability to regulate blood flow.


"E-cigarettes are perceived as safer than actual smoking, and some people even perceive them to be an attractive weight-loss tool," said Fogt. "This study aims to quantify the metabolic consequences of inhaling vaporized nicotine."
Cooke added, "This study is an important first step to understanding the physiological complications and public health concerns surrounding the use of e-cigarettes. It will also give us a better understanding of the health effects of pure nicotine without the harmful poisons found in tobacco products on the autonomic nervous system."


If this study confirms the scholars' hypotheses, additional research will be needed to further understand the immediate effects of vaporized nicotine, the impact of dosage and age on an e-cigarette user's health and the long-term effects of e-cigarettes."

The Ugly:

I understand the basics of structuring a research project. Usually a negative hypothesis is proposed: "X does not have the effect of Y." Then when little to no evidence is found to support the negative hypothesis, the study provides evidence that "X does have the effect of Y."

However, even though the wording of the hypothesis displays a negative attitude toward e-cigarettes, it is not formulated as a negative hypothesis statement. "The scholars will test the hypothesis that inhaling vaporized nicotine does not stimulate the human nervous system in ways that could seriously impact daily living."

Also, given the fact that e-cigarettes were never intended to be marketed to the entire population, any testing of this sort should compare the physiological effects of Method A of obtaining nicotine (smoking) to Method B (vaping) to provide the public with a complete picture of the effects of switching from smoking to vaping.

So the full hypothesis to be tested would be "inhaling vaporized nicotine has a worse impact on the human nervous system than inhaling smoke."

 

[wv2win]

When a study is specifically set-up to prove a negative instead of simply report the findings against a control group, which should be smokers, it doesn't sound like it will be objective.

 

[retired1]

But, very little research has been done about the effects of inhaling vaporized nicotine.

I beg to differ. Where are all those studies that would have been required from the pharmaceuticals before they started marketing NRTs in inhaler form?

 

[Vocalek]

I beg to differ. Where are all those studies that would have been required from the pharmaceuticals before they started marketing NRTs in inhaler form?

Excellent point.

Here is an animal study:

Life Sci. 1996;58(16):1339-46.
Long-term effects of inhaled nicotine.
Waldum HL, Nilsen OG, Nilsen T, Rørvik H, Syversen V, Sanvik AK, Haugen OA, Torp SH, Brenna E.
Source

Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Tronheim, Norway.
Abstract

Tobacco smoking has been reported to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, particularly of the lungs. In spite of extensive research on the health effects of tobacco smoking, the substances in tobacco smoke exerting these negative health effects are not completely known. Nicotine is the substance giving the subjective pleasure of smoking as well as inducing addiction. For the first time we report the effect on the rat of long-term (two years) inhalation of nicotine. The rats breathed in a chamber with nicotine at a concentration giving twice the plasma concentration found in heavy smokers. Nicotine was given for 20 h a day, five days a week during a two-year period. We could not find any increase in mortality, in atherosclerosis or frequency of tumors in these rats compared with controls. Particularly, there was no microscopic or macroscopic lung tumors nor any increase in pulmonary neuroendocrine cells. Throughout the study, however, the body weight of the nicotine exposed rats was reduced as compared with controls. In conclusion, our study does not indicate any harmful effect of nicotine when given in its pure form by inhalation.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8614291

 

[AgentAnia]

Irreverant reaction to this:

The scholars will work under the hypothesis that vaporized nicotine stimulates the human nervous system in ways that could seriously impact daily living.

They could, of course, just ask the hundreds of thousands of vapers whether vaporized nicotine has impacted their daily lives...

But seriously. Nothing in the description of this research project indicates there will be a control group (either smokers, or non-nicotine users), so can I conclude the study will be straight research on the one target population? If so, it will be interesting, but lacking comparison to smoking, pretty much irrelevant as far as I'm concerned. Also, will the test subjects be former smokers, and if so, might not that give different results than if the TSs are never smokers?

 

[moonlessnight]

I find it funny that they want to prove vaping to hamper physical activity. When I gave up analogs 18 months ago I also changed my life in general I have lost 125 pounds and this last Monday went on a 50 mile bicycle ride. I would say that I wouldn't have been able to accomplish this were I still smoking.

 

[Thunderball]

Thirty thousand isn't much for a study I would think and If I knew any study on anything had this small amount in their check book, I wouldnt even bother to read or concern myself with it. Maybe I am showing my ignorance here, I don't know. How about we band together and take donations to conduct a study of our own and give the money to who ever is the most revered/respected research lab/college that the powers that be know of or would heed or believe in their findings ?

I would like to think we could certainly come up with more than 30K towards the study.

If some one starts a fund we would trust, I will pledge 10.00. Thats not much, but if we all pitched in what we could..... just sayin.... or maybe that's easier said than done.

 

[2coils]

CASAA had or has a research fund for a specific project, then I believe they were raising additional funds for other productive endeavors. I believe it went rather well, Though I don't speak for CASAA so I will let them explain. I think donating period is a must at any dollar amount. I just wish there was a way to gain mass exposure for them. I would love to see more awareness at B&M's and e-commerce sites!

 

[Petrodus]

Sarcasm Alert
Guess we just have to prove the water quenches thirst thing

 

[Thunderball]

I just wish there was a way to gain mass exposure for them. I would love to see more awareness at B&M's and e-commerce sites!

I was thinking the same thing... A donation tin on every B&M counter. How to do that ? Also, how to explain that to new Vapeing folk.

 

[2coils]

I have to defer to the professionals on that one! Many more members better to answer then me! The new vapers, i bet most of them, have no idea about the potential disasters this industry is up against. We are a bit of a special breed lurking the forums. Most that go to convenience stores probably have no idea whats going on. In my area, there are only a couple of B&M's in the entire state. They have very little resources to turn to. I do have to give MAJOR props to AvidVaper. I ordered from them two weeks ago for the first time. In my package was an informative CASAA business card to go along with my order. I had a smile ear to ear because of this. What a great idea!!! For this alone, they have earned my repeat business!!!

 

[DC2]

I just wish there was a way to gain mass exposure for them. I would love to see more awareness at B&M's and e-commerce sites!

There is a project underway to help accomplish that.

 

[2coils]

There is a project underway to help accomplish that.

May I ask.....You had mentioned in a couple of threads, that you had some ideas for a project that you wanted to run by CASAA. Is that what you are referring to?

 

[DC2]

Yes, I asked CASAA if they would be interested in an idea I had and they are.

I wanted to put together something that vendors could provide to customers...
And a letter explaining to the vendors why that information is important to provide to customers...

Basically, the letter would provide the reasons why vendors should encourage their customers to join CASAA.
Then they could print out the information and give it to walk-in customers, and they could also email the information to their customer base.

The information provided to the customers would hopefully...
--Inform them of the threats vapers face
--Explain who and what CASAA is and how they are fighting for the future of vaping
--Encourage the customers to, at the very least, join CASAA and add to their number

CASAA likes the idea, and is trying to find time to put these items together.

And when they do, we will have something that we can all give to our vendors that will hopefully encourage them to provide to their customers.

The last step in the plan is encouraging US to get that information to every vendor we know.
I have some plans for that last step, but I'm still thinking it through and trying to perfect how it will work.

And once I have the materials available I will also seek additional input from the community.
And then it's game on!

 

[Petrodus]

Good idea ...
However, I suggest it would Piss-Off the FDA
and they would consider it a back-door approach
for vendors advocating e-cigarettes are a smoking cessation device.

 

[Vocalek]

Good idea ...
However, I suggest it would Piss-Off the FDA
and they would consider it a back-door approach
for vendors advocating e-cigarettes are a smoking cessation device.

I didn't see any mention whatsoever about smoking cessation. There is an organized movement trying to get any and all nicotine use treated exactly the same way as smoking is treated. You can't do it here, you can't live here if you do it, and you can't work here if you do it.

Telling vapors about this is a political statement, not a health claim.

 

[Petrodus]

I didn't see any mention whatsoever about smoking cessation. There is an organized movement trying to get any and all nicotine use treated exactly the same way as smoking is treated. You can't do it here, you can't live here if you do it, and you can't work here if you do it.

Telling vapors about this is a political statement, not a health claim.

Understood ...
However, I doubt those opposed to e-smoking consider this politics.
Would be interesting to see if any vendors would be willing
to take and run with this ... Most I've talked to wish to avoid
getting openly involved with these issues with their customers ...
especially passing out such material.

We think its a good idea ...
However, I seriously doubt many vendors will.

 

[Petrodus]

For years there's been suggestions about what vendors "Should Do"
to go high-profile with their customers to push back against those
opposing e-cigarettes.

Vendors haven't done so (for the most part) for "business" reasons.

Blu e-cigs could include such informative packets with each sale ...
Good Idea from our side of the isle ... not from a sales/marketing
point of view.

Edit ...
Many here will say ... Well, vendors have "skin in the game"
for reasoning why they should do this or that ...
I suggest that is exactly why most will not consider many
of our suggestions.

 

[Bill Godshall]

I strongly suspect that this e-cigarette study to be done by UTSA researchers will study the impact e-cigarettes have on nonsmokers (instead of smokers or vapers).

But since nonsmokers probably consume <1% of all e-cigarette products that have been sold, it makes no sense to study the impact of e-cigarettes on nonsmokers (unless the actual goal of the study is to generate more fear mongering propaganda against the products).

 

[2coils]

For years there's been suggestions about what vendors "Should Do"
to go high-profile with their customers to push back against those
opposing e-cigarettes.

Vendors haven't done so (for the most part) for "business" reasons.


Blu e-cigs could include such informative packets with each sale ...
Good Idea from our side of the isle ... not from a sales/marketing
point of view.

Edit ...
Many here will say ... Well, vendors have "skin in the game"
for reasoning why they should do this or that ...
I suggest that is exactly why most will not consider many
of our suggestions.

For "business" reasons is exactly why they should get involved. I don't see the downside. Can you please clarify your opinion as to why this wouldn't be a good idea? Nobody is suggesting that vendors ask their customers "go to war" for them. But certainly educating them about harm reduction alternatives, being available for them or their family members, even against the will of our government. Mentioning CASAA or handing them an informative packet or card wouldn't hurt IMHO. In the age of the internet, one doesn't have to do much other than plant the seed in someones head. The rest is up to the customer if he/she is interested in learning more. I'm sure some customers who love vaping, would be happy to defend their rights. As I said, AVID VAPER is mailing CASAA cards with their order, maybe that alone is enough. I LOVE IT!! I will also thank them when I make my next order.